Don’t ever let anyone convince you that women are worthy of less— that you are worthy of less.

Happy International Women’s Day!

Self-discipline, respect for others, and thoughtful planning come before ego for skillful, successful diplomats.

Politeness is not the same as kindness.

Being polite is saying what makes people feel good today. Being kind is doing what helps people get better tomorrow.

When the norm is politeness, people withhold disagreement and criticism. When the norm is kindness, people speak their minds respectfully.

“In America, the land of the free, we saw in the past election that freedom is universally valued but not universally defined... It’s an old family argument—older than America itself.” -Bono

A thought on how to stay relatively positive and sane in these crazy times. #1. Start each day with the ? - What’s Right Today? And when you start seeing things, and you will, then, #2. Admire Out Loud. When you notice something positive about someone, tell them - right out loud!

This may not get much press, but it’s particularly concerning to see public information systematically removed from US government websites.

Consider supporting an organization that teaches Black History. Thanks to ASALH Manasota for the Freedom School.

If you only see right and wrong through the lens of party loyalty, it’s time to take a step back and refocus. Real change happens when we hold our own side (if we must choose sides) accountable, rather than blindly defending it at all costs.

There are current conditions we have to temporarily accept while we work to change things that are unacceptable. Why did people like MLK & RGB persist? Look at the way they conducted themselves. Action, not vulgarity. Wise, but learned from others. Knew immediacy, but embraced the long haul.

Thanks to TedxBradenton for inspiring speakers, ideas.

Thank you, David Brooks. “Community service often expands the servers’ social range, bringing them into contact with people from different classes, political groups and generations. It teaches people that noble ideas are of little use if the people holding them don’t know how to cooperate.”

So much here that’s worth considering.

“Every effort must be made not to recruit women into engineering, but rather to recruit and demand more of men who become engineers. Ditto for med school and the law and every trade,” Yenor said.

Does this concern you?

“Good things can happen when people stick up for themselves,” Dr. Baxter, 31, said in a recent interview. “Everyone deserves to be part of the American dream.”

“Feeling bad for someone’s plight — or even sharing it — doesn’t make that person’s actions permissible. The accused man may well have been wronged by the health care system, as many people reading this most likely have. But he still committed murder.” www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/o...

How can #philanthropy continue to make progress on equity?

Authors from @bridgespangroup.bsky.social share 5 big ideas from leaders

1. Movements must be durable
2. Differences = superpowers
3. Cross-racial solidarity
4. How to disrupt broken narratives
5. Thinking differently about risk

The Selby Foundation approved $563,853 in grants to strengthen 14 nonprofits with technology, equipment, and building renovations. Together with recently awarded funds to help organizations recover from Hurricane Milton damage, Selby Foundation has granted more than $1,062,000 since October.

How can we support youth who are afraid of these changes & what they will mean for their security and mental health? @wusf.org